Heel cushion



Feb. 6, 1934. R H. JOHNSON 1,945,780

HEEL CUSHION Filed May 31, 1930 P055 H Johnson/ (ii/WWW,

Patented Feb. 6, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT oFFics HEEL CUSHION Ross H. Johnson, Indianapolis, Ind. Application May 31, 1930. Serial No.458,086

1 Claim. (ores-37 My invention relates to heel cushions for shoes and is constructed so that it can be placed in the heel portion of the shoe to provide a cushion of a desirable nature.

A feature of my invention resides in providing a cushion with a soft or pliable marginal portion which permits the center of the heel to sink down into a recess which forms in the cushion when in use and which provides a marginal pad or cushion-like portion to protect the heel against the jar in walking. Shoes are ordinarily made virtually flat inside the heel and the heel being of a hard nature strikes the ground with a more or less blow, particularly with people who walk by coming down hard on the heel portion of the shoe. My cushion accomplishes a feature in providing a means of forming a soft edge for the heel to rest against and to permit the heel to form a concave-like heel portion within the heel of the shoe.

My heel cushion is adapted to be formed of a piece of leather or other suitable flexible material having a wear resisting nature, one end of which is shaped similar to the heel portion of the insole of a shoe, and the other end being skived off to form a thin edge. This heel-like portion is formed smooth on one side against which the heel is adapted to rest. The other side carries a marginal cushion and the heel cushion as a whole may be readily attached to the top 1 the regular insole of the shoe by adhesive or other suitable material. When my heel cushion is placed in the shoe, the pressure of the heel acts to shape the cushion to form a concaved center portion in the heel pad or cushion and the heel bone of the foot will rest in this recess, while the outer edge will cushion the heel so as to largely overcome the jar on the heel of the foot in walking. The recess also holds the heel bone in the socket of the cushion in a manner to keep the foot from sliding forward in the shoe, and thus makes walking much more easy and comfortable to the wearer of my heel cushions.

These features, together with other details and advantages will be more fully pointed out.

In the drawing forming part of this specification:

Figure 1 is a sectional side view of a shoe, showing my heel cushion employed therein.

Figure 2 is a perspective top view of my heel cushion.

Figure 3 is a bottom view of my heel cushion.

Figure 4 is a section on the line 4-4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 5-5 of Figure 3, showing the heel cushion made of sponge-like rubber or other suitable moisture proof material and having the heel bone opening 16 extending entirely through the same.

My heel cushion A is designed to be readily attached in a simple manner to the sole 10 of a shoe, such as B, or any form of shoe. A primary feature of my heel cushion A is to provide a means of cushioning the heel so as to overcome the shock directed by the heel 11 against the 66 heel bone of the foot.

In Figure 1 I have illustrated diagrammatically the foot C in a shoe B and have illustrated the bones of the foot as they ordinarily appear extending into the shoe. In this illustration the heel to bone 12 is shown in the approximate position that it would assume when my heel cushion is employed within the shoe B.

My heel cushion A is formed with a cover portion 14 of leather or other flexible wearing material which is sufficiently flexible to shape itself by the pressure of the foot upon the same. The face of the cover portion 14 is smooth like the insole of a shoe and my cushion A is adapted to be glued or attached firmly to the sole 10 as 30 illustrated in position in Figure 1. The under surface of the cover portion 14 of the heel cushion A is covered with a suitable adhesive which is ordinarily of a dry nature and non-adhesive until the cushion is placed in the shoe, at which 35 time the heat and perspiration of the foot will cause the same toadhere firmly to the insole. The under portion of the cover 14 is provided with a marginal cushion portion 15 which is formed with an elliptical opening 16 which exposes the surface 17 of the under side of the cover 14. This surface 17 is covered with an adhesive as is also the skived front end 18 of the heel cushion A. The cushion portion 15 has a front portion 15 which extends forward over a portion of the front of the under side of the cover member 14. The portion 15 has a front transverse edge 19 which extends virtually parallel to the front transverse edge 20 of the cushion A. The cushion portion 15 may be cut away centrally, as 1 indicated by the dotted lines 21 in Figure 3, if it is desired.

In the use of my heel cushion A, its simple nature permits it to be readily attached to the sole 10 of a shoe by simply placing it in proper position and inserting the foot upon the same. I The heel bone 12 will sink into the center of the heel cushion A to form a concaved portion, such as 22, while the cushion 15 forms a marginal pad of a soft nature for supporting the foot and causes the cushion A to shape itself to the heel. My cushion A also provides a means for protecting the heel bone 12 against heel shock in walking and in providing a recess into which the heel may engage to hold the foot from sliding back and forth in the shoe. found my heel cushion to be very desirable in overcoming heel shock in walking and to provide a means of cushioning the heel in the shoe so as to give more easy walking in virtually any shape of shoe. While the illustration of Figure 1 shows a womans foot and shoe, my heel cushion is equally adapted to mens and childrens shoes and acts to protect the heel and to provide for more comfort in walking.

In the formation of my cushion the same may be made with the cover member 14 of leather,

while the cushion member 15 may be made of felt or sponge-like rubber, or any other suitable flexible cushioning material. Obviously my cushion A may be made entirely of a moisture proof pliable material in which event the body of the entire cushion may be formed integral and the center portion which forms the recess 22 may be formed very thin, or the opening 16 may extend entirely through the body of the cushion A,

I have as illustrated in Figure 5. In this construction the cushion A forms a marginal cushion-like portion adapted to fit around the heel bone of the heel of the foot when it is placed in the shoe.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described my heel cushion and illustrated the best embodiment thereof, however, the cushion may be varied and adapted to such uses as are desirable Within the scope of the following claim without departing from the purpose and intent of the invention.

I claim:

A heel rest adapted to cushion the heel of a foot in a shoe including, a cover member formed of flexible material, one end of said cover member being elliptically shaped, and the other having the form of a tongue with a thin skived transverse end, a cushion member of felt shorter than said cover member having a central opening secured to the under side of said cover member, the exposed portions of the under side of said cover member in the center of said cushion memberand at the skived end being covered with adhesive to attach said cushion to the insole of a shoe when worn therein.

' ROSS I-I. JOHNSON. 

